Oswego County man sentenced to probation and weekends in jail for crash leaving underage drinking party in Clay

View full sizeEllen Blalock / The Post-StandardJared Rood is sentenced by County Judge Joseph Fahey for his role in a car race from an underage drinking party that ended in a crash and serious injury to one passenger.

Syracuse, NY - An Oswego County man will be spending the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas in jail for seriously injuring an acquaintance in a drag-racing crash leaving an underage drinking party in Clay.

Jared Rood, 21, of Ball Road, Hastings, had nothing to say before Onondaga County Judge Joseph Fahey sentenced him to five years' probation with four weekends in the Onondaga County Correctional Facility beginning Nov. 25.

Rood pleaded guilty Aug. 24 to a single felony count of second-degree vehicular assault in connection with the crash that occurred about 3:15 a.m. Nov. 20, 2010. on Black Creek Road in Clay.

Authorities said cars driven by Rood and Steed Johnson, 21, of Cornell Road, Hastings,
bumped fenders and Rood's car went off the road and flipped over several times. One of the four passengers in Rood's car, 19-year-old Carmen Fortino, was so severely injured he was not initially expected to survive, according to officials.

Authorities said Rood and Johnson were drag racing as they left an underage drinking party at a home on Black Creek Road. The prosecution contended Rood had a blood-alcohol count of 0.10 at the time of the crash.

Johnson is facing trial in March on charges of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting it, imprudent speed and engaging in a speed contest.